Justice on the Eureka Flat
A Starbuck farmer secures the return of his stolen livestock while authorities hunt the ringleader of a horse-thief gang.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
C. V. Wellman, a prominent farmer of Starbuck, is in the city attending to business matters. Mr. Wellman is congratulating himself on the recovery of nine head of horses that were stolen from his place several months ago. Twelve head in all were stolen, and he has not given up hope that he will eventually recover the other three. George Haven, a former Walla Walla boy, is under arrest at Yakima charged with being the ringleader of a gang of horse thieves believed to have stolen Mr. Wellman's horses. Haven was arrested at Seattle recently while engaged as a cook in the King County Hospital. Mr. Wellman does not know whether Haven is one of the gang that plundered his ranch, but the Yakima authorities believe they have a good case and are looking up additional evidence. Ed Weston, alleged to be a member of the gang, was arrested a few days ago at Pomeroy but secured his release. Officers are now scouring the country in that vicinity, looking for him.
“Mr. Wellman is congratulating himself on the recovery of nine head of horses that were stolen from his place.”
Horse theft was a serious felony in the early 20th century, often resulting in harsh sentences and vigilante responses. This story captures the precarious nature of rural property and the interconnectedness of regional law enforcement across Washington at the time.
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